Director General, Civil Aviation Authority
Shmuel Zakay has served as Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI) since April 2023.
Previously, Zakay served as Managing Director of Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel’s main international air transport hub. He also served as Deputy Director General of Border Terminals and Domestic Airports, a unit of the Israel Airports Authority, and as Director of Ben Gurion Airport’s Security Division. Earlier in his career, he was Deputy Director General of Administration and Organization.
Zakay retired from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 2004 with the rank of Brigadier General. During his military career, he held various positions in the elite Golani Infantry Brigade, including battalion commander. He also served as Battalion Commander at the IDF Officers School, Commander of the Gaza Division, and Commander of the Arava and Negev Division.
Zakay is a graduate of the IDF Command and General Staff College. He holds a multidisciplinary B.A. and a degree in Defense and Security Studies from Tel Aviv University’s IDF Command and Staff College program.